Bristol City has secured the signing of goalkeeper Sam Tickle from Wigan Athletic on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
The deal was finalized on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
The 24-year-old arrives at Ashton Gate as the first summer recruit under newly appointed head coach Michael Skubala.
He fills a vital vacancy following the departure of loanee Radek Vitek.
Experience and Achievements
Tickle brings extensive experience to the Championship club, having registered 158 senior appearances and kept 56 clean sheets for the Latics since his professional debut in October 2021.
His rapid development included starting a club-record 139 consecutive league matches.
He earned an England Under-21 cap against Luxembourg in September 2023 and was named to the PFA League One Team of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign.
Manager and Director Comments
Head coach Michael Skubala expressed excitement about adding the young goalkeeper to the Robins' defensive ranks.
"We're delighted to bring in a player of such high quality, who already has a lot of experience for a goalkeeper of his age," he said.
Skubala had previously emphasized the urgent need to bolster the club's goalkeeping options, which consisted of only Joe Lumley and Lewis Thomas.
"We need a goalkeeper. We want to strengthen that unit," he noted.
Sporting Director James Ellis revealed that the club had been tracking Tickle for a long time.
"The club and I have followed Sam for a long time and we believe he is the right fit for us," Ellis said.
He added, "It's pleasing to complete the deal early and we thank Wigan Athletic for being so collaborative in the process."
Player's Reaction
Tickle shared his enthusiasm after completing his physical and administrative requirements at the Robins High Performance Centre. "The conversations have been good.
The facilities are unbelievable, it's a step up from League One and I'm really pleased," he said.
He also expressed his eagerness to join the project. "I'm buzzing, as soon as Bristol City showed interest, I really wanted to make the switch.
The gaffer sat me down, showed me the plan and I just wanted to get behind it," Tickle added.
The goalkeeper published a heartfelt farewell message to his boyhood club, reflecting on his journey from joining the youth ranks in 2012 to becoming a first-team regular.
He thanked the supporters, teammates, and staff for their support.
Tickle will now integrate into the first-team setup alongside veteran coach Pat Mountain to prepare for the upcoming Championship campaign.
